I really love it that people write comments on my weblogs. It just makes me feel happy. And connected. It's a good thing!
I have it set up that I get an email when a comment is posted. I like to email back saying thanks for your nice comment, or answer a Q, or say, hey I feel like that too, or some such. But I have noticed that when I hit "reply," the return email address, if it is an address, sometimes looks like this: noreply-comment@blogger.com with < > around it.
What does it mean? I have sent emails to that address. Or I thought I did. Have they been received? How sad to think I emailed a nice response, only to discover that noreply is the black hole of the internet! Is there a big bin in the blogosphere where all these replies, which are probably noreplies, go? Does anyone read them?
These are questions I really want the answer to.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
Home
I don't live in California any longer. But I was born in Hollywood and grew up here. Whenever I visit, it still feels like home. My son flew in and out of LAX about a month ago and commented how sprawling it looked and too big.
LA is big. It has been ever since the 30's/40's when they stole the water rights from the Owens Valley. The choice was either be part of LA or find your own water. LA is a desert, water is very important. Hence, the sprawling nature! In college I drove from the west end of LA to the east -- it's 100 miles long! So flying in at night is amazing. The streets are laid out in a grid, the lights are twinkling and to me, it's familiar!
I also really like driving in Southern California. This morning I headed south from Orange County to San Diego County. I stopped in Carlsbad for lunch and to visit some antique shops. We lived there once. Then I kept going, keeping the Pacific on my right and as close to me as I could get. It is a beautiful drive. You go through such cool little towns like Del Mar, La Jolla, Leucadia, Encinitas, Mission Beach . . . pretty places with lots of people out in the sunshine on a Sunday.
I'm now staying at an old friend's place. Her daughter and mine became friends in pre-school and still talk on Facebook. I have plans to visit with other friends (they are taking days off work just to hang out with me -- how cool is that?). And when I'm not with friends, I'm gonna drive around and just feel at home.
LA is big. It has been ever since the 30's/40's when they stole the water rights from the Owens Valley. The choice was either be part of LA or find your own water. LA is a desert, water is very important. Hence, the sprawling nature! In college I drove from the west end of LA to the east -- it's 100 miles long! So flying in at night is amazing. The streets are laid out in a grid, the lights are twinkling and to me, it's familiar!
I also really like driving in Southern California. This morning I headed south from Orange County to San Diego County. I stopped in Carlsbad for lunch and to visit some antique shops. We lived there once. Then I kept going, keeping the Pacific on my right and as close to me as I could get. It is a beautiful drive. You go through such cool little towns like Del Mar, La Jolla, Leucadia, Encinitas, Mission Beach . . . pretty places with lots of people out in the sunshine on a Sunday.
I'm now staying at an old friend's place. Her daughter and mine became friends in pre-school and still talk on Facebook. I have plans to visit with other friends (they are taking days off work just to hang out with me -- how cool is that?). And when I'm not with friends, I'm gonna drive around and just feel at home.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Don't Upgrade My Rental Car, Please!
In the past 3 months I have had the occasion to rent cars twice. So what has happened is not even close to any statistical certainty . . . still it seems a pattern.
I always ask for economy or compact cars when renting. The difference between those two is the number of doors, not the size of the car. But otherwise, I like driving small cars. I learned to drive on a Volkswagon Beetle. I once owned a Honda -- y'know the car they first made with the modified motorcycle engine. It was about the size of a Mini-Cooper.
So, when in a new city or driving an unfamiliar car, as one does with a rental, I like it small. And I keep getting mid-size cars. The nice men at the rental counters seem to think they are doing me a GREAT favor by upgrading my car size. Really, they grin and say, "Oh I've got a great car for you."
In January, when we walked out to find our car we saw a Prius and got really excited, this was a treat -- small and great gas mileage. Sadly, the treat he had in mind was the Sebring in the next space. It felt like a boat to me. The guy at the counter was startled to see me back a few minutes later. It was after midnight, all the small cars were gone so after the Sebring he offered me an SUV, which on general principles was completely out. Next he offered me a van and that I took.
I know, I know, it may make no sense that I won't drive a mid-size car but I will drive a van. I can't explain it. I drive a van at home. It doesn't feel like a boat. Maybe it's that they are higher up?
This latest rental (yesterday) was just funny. Or awful. It depends on how you look at it. We arrived at LAX at 8:30 pm and at 10:30 pm we were driving out of the lot with an unrequested mid-size car. Honestly, it took a full hour just to get to the counter. The computers were down. Apparently this is a scheduled thing. On Saturday? At the beginning of other state's Spring Break? There were a lot of tired cranky kids and parents.
I tried to switch cars but didn't have the heart to wait another 45 minutes. Luckily, I wasn't staying in LA, so I drove south and this morning called the rental counter at the John Wayne Airport. If I got there within an hour, they were willing to exchange my car, no problem.
I think the next time I rent a car I am going to have to have a fit at the very start of the process. I'm not very good at fits, actually. Most of the time I have such good experiences travelling or getting my money back for tickets I can't use or other things running so smoothly. . . my daughter actually bragged to one of her friends that I was a whiz at this!
Maybe just a note in the car reservation form that says, NO UPGRADES, PLEASE! Give them to someone who really wants them!
I always ask for economy or compact cars when renting. The difference between those two is the number of doors, not the size of the car. But otherwise, I like driving small cars. I learned to drive on a Volkswagon Beetle. I once owned a Honda -- y'know the car they first made with the modified motorcycle engine. It was about the size of a Mini-Cooper.
So, when in a new city or driving an unfamiliar car, as one does with a rental, I like it small. And I keep getting mid-size cars. The nice men at the rental counters seem to think they are doing me a GREAT favor by upgrading my car size. Really, they grin and say, "Oh I've got a great car for you."
In January, when we walked out to find our car we saw a Prius and got really excited, this was a treat -- small and great gas mileage. Sadly, the treat he had in mind was the Sebring in the next space. It felt like a boat to me. The guy at the counter was startled to see me back a few minutes later. It was after midnight, all the small cars were gone so after the Sebring he offered me an SUV, which on general principles was completely out. Next he offered me a van and that I took.
I know, I know, it may make no sense that I won't drive a mid-size car but I will drive a van. I can't explain it. I drive a van at home. It doesn't feel like a boat. Maybe it's that they are higher up?
This latest rental (yesterday) was just funny. Or awful. It depends on how you look at it. We arrived at LAX at 8:30 pm and at 10:30 pm we were driving out of the lot with an unrequested mid-size car. Honestly, it took a full hour just to get to the counter. The computers were down. Apparently this is a scheduled thing. On Saturday? At the beginning of other state's Spring Break? There were a lot of tired cranky kids and parents.
I tried to switch cars but didn't have the heart to wait another 45 minutes. Luckily, I wasn't staying in LA, so I drove south and this morning called the rental counter at the John Wayne Airport. If I got there within an hour, they were willing to exchange my car, no problem.
I think the next time I rent a car I am going to have to have a fit at the very start of the process. I'm not very good at fits, actually. Most of the time I have such good experiences travelling or getting my money back for tickets I can't use or other things running so smoothly. . . my daughter actually bragged to one of her friends that I was a whiz at this!
Maybe just a note in the car reservation form that says, NO UPGRADES, PLEASE! Give them to someone who really wants them!
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Crowning Glory
I really need to get one of those small tape recorders, the kind you can operate and still drive a car safely. I have most of my best thoughts either in the car or in the shower. Do they make them waterproof?
The title of this post came to me while I was driving away from my hairdresser's. Writing while driving is a task I have never mastered, hence the tape recorder. And even tho my mom says if you forget it, it must not be important, I'm pretty sure that is not always true!
So, crowning glory. Where did that phrase come from. Wandering over to the internet to check out Bartlet's Quotations, Shakespeare, The Bible. . . Hmmm, and 30 minutes later I was not able to find the origin of the phrase. Perhaps if I had access to the OED . . .
So, the topic of this post is hair and the wonders of getting one's hair done. I used to have issues. Perhaps anyone who has had their dry hair cut with a razor would. Necessity (it's getting grey) and vanity (I don't want to be grey) have forced me to get on with it and now I regularly get my hair cut and colored professionally.
Today, my hairdresser did an exceptional job. The cut is great -- she got the bangs wispy and short enough, which is a good cuz if not I tend to cut them myself and I don't have any real skills. The color is fantastic. Actually she really out-did herself and that's saying something cuz she regularly does an amazing jov. I kind of danced out of the salon.
An actress friend of mine would travel though Los Angeles when going from one location to another, allowing time to visit the hairdresser. When another friend moved from NYC to Miami, it took her quite some time to find a new hairdresser. Her hairdresser regularly visited her in Florida to do wonders with her hair and mood! The first year I moved from west to east coasts, the person I missed most was my hairdresser. My actress friend has the most beautiful hair color. The NYC hairdresser did the bridesmaid's hair when my friend married, it was inspired, we all felt beautiful. And while I now miss my old friends more, it did take a whole bunch of bad cuts, color and perms to find the gem I visited today.
Perhaps in another post I will write about inner beauty, feminism and self image, things I care deeply about. But today, I just want to say how nice it is to have a really good hair day!
The title of this post came to me while I was driving away from my hairdresser's. Writing while driving is a task I have never mastered, hence the tape recorder. And even tho my mom says if you forget it, it must not be important, I'm pretty sure that is not always true!
So, crowning glory. Where did that phrase come from. Wandering over to the internet to check out Bartlet's Quotations, Shakespeare, The Bible. . . Hmmm, and 30 minutes later I was not able to find the origin of the phrase. Perhaps if I had access to the OED . . .
So, the topic of this post is hair and the wonders of getting one's hair done. I used to have issues. Perhaps anyone who has had their dry hair cut with a razor would. Necessity (it's getting grey) and vanity (I don't want to be grey) have forced me to get on with it and now I regularly get my hair cut and colored professionally.
Today, my hairdresser did an exceptional job. The cut is great -- she got the bangs wispy and short enough, which is a good cuz if not I tend to cut them myself and I don't have any real skills. The color is fantastic. Actually she really out-did herself and that's saying something cuz she regularly does an amazing jov. I kind of danced out of the salon.
An actress friend of mine would travel though Los Angeles when going from one location to another, allowing time to visit the hairdresser. When another friend moved from NYC to Miami, it took her quite some time to find a new hairdresser. Her hairdresser regularly visited her in Florida to do wonders with her hair and mood! The first year I moved from west to east coasts, the person I missed most was my hairdresser. My actress friend has the most beautiful hair color. The NYC hairdresser did the bridesmaid's hair when my friend married, it was inspired, we all felt beautiful. And while I now miss my old friends more, it did take a whole bunch of bad cuts, color and perms to find the gem I visited today.
Perhaps in another post I will write about inner beauty, feminism and self image, things I care deeply about. But today, I just want to say how nice it is to have a really good hair day!
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Playing Hooky
I am going on a trip soon and I really should be getting ready. In addition to packing what I will need, it seems that the prerequisite to any travel is to do all the laundry, clean the entire house as if Merry Maids had been there, and to either re-arrange the furniture, re-organize my clothes closet or re-shelve my books in a more pleasing order.
I have no idea why this seems imperative, but it always does. No wonder the idea of taking a trip puts me in a state somewhere between panic and Atilla the Hun. My family knows to give me a wide berth.
Add to this the fact that we have to get our taxes to the accountant (2 weeks ago would have been good) so they can be ready to send in for college financial aid and you get the idea that it has been a bit of a rough week. Is it only Tuesday?
So when the feeling of overwhelm hit me this morning, I did what any self respecting woman raised in LA would do -- I got in my car and drove! There's a Chili's restaurant and Michael's craft store next to each other and about an hour away and that's where I headed.
Driving always calms me. I loved our family Sunday drives when I was a kid. I got to lunch, ate while I read a book, then went shopping.
I'm a sucker for stuff on sale and here were some magic wands to wave about. They won't clean the house or take on the projects, but they sparkle and shine!
And Susan, even if you do find Lucy's wand, I think the pink one has her name on it!
I have no idea why this seems imperative, but it always does. No wonder the idea of taking a trip puts me in a state somewhere between panic and Atilla the Hun. My family knows to give me a wide berth.
Add to this the fact that we have to get our taxes to the accountant (2 weeks ago would have been good) so they can be ready to send in for college financial aid and you get the idea that it has been a bit of a rough week. Is it only Tuesday?
So when the feeling of overwhelm hit me this morning, I did what any self respecting woman raised in LA would do -- I got in my car and drove! There's a Chili's restaurant and Michael's craft store next to each other and about an hour away and that's where I headed.
Driving always calms me. I loved our family Sunday drives when I was a kid. I got to lunch, ate while I read a book, then went shopping.
I'm a sucker for stuff on sale and here were some magic wands to wave about. They won't clean the house or take on the projects, but they sparkle and shine!And Susan, even if you do find Lucy's wand, I think the pink one has her name on it!
Sunday, March 8, 2009
The Kindness of Friends and Strangers
People in the blogosphere have been amazingly kind to me this past week!
One of my creative heros loves the same wonderful, quirky place I do. So I wrote him an email. I just wanted to tell him how much it meant to me and thank him for presenting the place in a way I hadn't thought of before. I had no expectation of a response. This is a guy who's amazingly busy. He sometimes gets 300+ comments on his blog for goodness sake! And what did he do, but write back a wonderful response! I'm still smiling!
There is a circle of ladies with beautiful blogs, ones I visit every day, who regularly reach out to each other to say a kind word, give encouragement, do artistic swaps, or make someone laugh! Sometimes it's in their blog and sometimes in their comments. I have so appreciated the notice taken of an art project I am involved in. It's not tons of folks commenting, but its enough.
A member of my church has started a new position. She wasn't sure she really wanted to do it, but we really needed her and she agreed. Today was her first day and she did a fabulous job. I told her so after the service and she had such a surprised tone in her voice, saying how everyone had been so kind.
We shouldn't be surprised at the kindness of friends and strangers. People are kind. They want to say nice things to others, they want to share kind words and pretty little trinkets. People want to reach out to others who share the same aethetics or world views. I heard on NPR that people who blog are actually happier because they feel a sense of connectiveness with other people.
Even as flawed a character as Blanche Dubois, stated, "I have always depended on the kindness of strangers. " It's not such a bad way to live. And if strangers can make one feel appreciated, think of how much we can make our friends feel loved. I may be on my way to turning this into an essay for This I Believe.
So be nice to strangers and even nicer to your friends. After all,". . . In the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make." (With a title like Tiny Dancer, I sorta had to use a lyrical quote, ya know?).
One of my creative heros loves the same wonderful, quirky place I do. So I wrote him an email. I just wanted to tell him how much it meant to me and thank him for presenting the place in a way I hadn't thought of before. I had no expectation of a response. This is a guy who's amazingly busy. He sometimes gets 300+ comments on his blog for goodness sake! And what did he do, but write back a wonderful response! I'm still smiling!
There is a circle of ladies with beautiful blogs, ones I visit every day, who regularly reach out to each other to say a kind word, give encouragement, do artistic swaps, or make someone laugh! Sometimes it's in their blog and sometimes in their comments. I have so appreciated the notice taken of an art project I am involved in. It's not tons of folks commenting, but its enough.
A member of my church has started a new position. She wasn't sure she really wanted to do it, but we really needed her and she agreed. Today was her first day and she did a fabulous job. I told her so after the service and she had such a surprised tone in her voice, saying how everyone had been so kind.
We shouldn't be surprised at the kindness of friends and strangers. People are kind. They want to say nice things to others, they want to share kind words and pretty little trinkets. People want to reach out to others who share the same aethetics or world views. I heard on NPR that people who blog are actually happier because they feel a sense of connectiveness with other people.
Even as flawed a character as Blanche Dubois, stated, "I have always depended on the kindness of strangers. " It's not such a bad way to live. And if strangers can make one feel appreciated, think of how much we can make our friends feel loved. I may be on my way to turning this into an essay for This I Believe.
So be nice to strangers and even nicer to your friends. After all,". . . In the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make." (With a title like Tiny Dancer, I sorta had to use a lyrical quote, ya know?).
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Wise Words From Glinda
Has anyone ever noticed how The Wizard of Oz is one of those perfect stories? It touches me so often. I love the books. I love the movie. I love the truths it tells about life and love and family. And I wish the Wizard, humbug or not, would give me a heart, brains, courage and a sense of home right where I am.I struggle daily with my less than stellar ability to open a venue for selling stuff. It could be the antique shop in my barn. Or handmade items on Etsy. Or a combination at the flea market this summer.
I want to know why I don't. I want to blame someone. I want to stop blaming myself or stop wondering what is the block that keeps me stuck. It is very wise to remember resistence equals persistence. It probably would be wise to just get over myself! Still I don't have the answer.
This would be a good post to have the thundering hoards reading so they could all tell me what to do. They aren't. Maybe just as well. My mom used to call me Mistress Mary, quite contrary. But I think that's just cuz I wouldn't do what she wanted me to do. Would I do what commenters told me to do? I don't know.
Would it help if I asked for exactly what I wanted? Ok, here goes. I want the beautiful fairy godmother (she looks like Glinda the Good) to wave her magic wand and say in her beautiful voice, You have had the secret inside you all along. You don't need to go searching over the rainbow when all the love you need is right there where you are. There's no place like home, there's no place like home.
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